Windows loses contact with USB printer

[Guest]

One of my computers, a laptop, (running WXP SP2), after not being used for
awhile, appears to have lost the connection to its (usb) printer. Documents
will not print, neither through the spooler, nor directly, until the computer
is rebooted. This has happened with 6 different printers, all of which work
correctly on my other computers. I can't seem to pin down how long the
computer is idle before this happens, but it IS NOT allowed to go into
hibernation. The only power saving event is the monitor is turned off after
an hour, but it will still print after a couple of hours. I've reinstalled
Windows twice, but that hasn't fixed the problem. Has anyone heard of this
problem or know anything about it?

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

In the properties of the USB Controllers (in Device Manager) under Power
Management, what are the settings?

 

[Guest]

Here's what displays in the USB section of Device Manager (in the order
displayed there):
Generec USB Hub; "Power" tab:
Hub is self powered
Total power output 500 mA per port
Attached devices:
USB Composite Device 98mA
3 ports available

1 "Intel 8020 1DB/DBM Enhanced Host Controller" (no power tab in properties)

3 "Intel 8020 1DB/DBM Universal Host Controller" (no power tab in properties)

1 "Officejet 5600 series (Dot4 USB)" - no power tab. This is the all-in-one
printer currently connected directly to one of the two USB ports on the
computer. I have a 4 port usb 2.0 hub connected to the other USB port on the
computer, and only one port on it is in use - a logitec wireless
keyboard/mouse transceiver.

2 "USB Composite Device" (no power tab in properties)

1 "USB Printing Support" (no power tab in properties)

1 "USB Root Hub"; "power" tab:
Hub Self Powered
Total Power Output 500 mA
Attached devices:
USB Composite Device 2 mA
1 port available

2 "USB Root Hub"; "power" tab:
Hub Self Powered
Total Power Output 500 mA
Attached devices:
2 ports available 0 mA

1 "USB Root Hub"; "power" tab:
Hub Self Powered
Total Power Output 500 mA
Attached deviced:
Generic USB (4 ports) 0 mA
5 ports available 0mA

I'm not to knowledgeable about the inner workings of USB, so I hope that the
above tells you what you need to know.

Thank you for your response.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Ensure the USB hub that the printer is connecting to is actually on the
motherboard at the back, not on a front port or on a powered hub. If you're
out, try a PCI USB card.

 

[Guest]

The printer, and all the others, is/are, and has been, connected directly to
one of the two ports on the motherboard; the computer is a laptop with only
two usb 2.0 ports. Connected to the other port is a 4 port powered hub, to
which 1 device, my wireless keyboard/mouse receiver, is connected. I hope
this will shed some light on my problem.